August 30, 2010

Spring Weddings are almost here and as much as the quieter wedding season in winter has been a nice rest pause there has been so much going on at SugarLove & White behind the scenes.
This image was taken on a perfect spring day in Nielsen Park, Vaucluse....a favourite SugarLove spot for photographs. Goodbye warm winter woolies, spring here we come x

August 19, 2010

Firstly let me start by saying that I would like to dedicate this post to the memory of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy & John F Kennedy Jr. We never had the opportunity to meet or work together however the thought of visiting Martha's Vineyard one day has always involved two visions. The first - cute whitewashed cladded houses, shingles, sailing, coastal style, linen pants and espadrilles. The second - its iconic yet tragic history as the resting place of one of America's most legendary & beautiful couples.

Carolyn & John were married on an almost deserted island off the coast of Georgia in 1996. The quaint wooden chapel had just eight pews and no electricity. Surrounded by 40 guests, capella music and candlelight the couple were clearly so much in love. Privacy was the most important thing to them when planning their wedding day.

A few weeks ago our Principal Photographer, Bradley travelled to Cape Cod for the screening of his short film "ID" which was chosen as an International Finalist at the Woods Hole Film Festival. We were lucky enough to squeeze in a side trip to Edgartown in Martha's Vineyard. Having always been fascinated by New England we could not miss the chance to see what MV considers to be some of their most treasured churches & reception venues. For anyone interested in what Massachusetts has to offer or seeking some American inspiration here goes...

This is the Old Whaling Church - an excellent example of Greek Revival Architecture built in 1843 and it can accommodate up to 500 guests.

The historic pipe organ, white washed timber floor and large french picture postcard windows are just a few features that help capture that grand stately aura that the building exudes so well.

The nearby picture perfect village has endless shops great for window shopping & quaint gifts for special someone.
Bicycles or the local trolley cars are the best mode of transport. Perfect for a ceremony arrival by the harbour on a warm & sunny afternoon.
The Dr Daniel Fisher House is one of the islands finest examples of Federal Architecture and is just a short walk from the Old Whaling Church. The mansion is set amid 4acres of climbing roses, ponds & fountains.

Martha's Vineyard shares its reputation as the preferred spot for a summer house with the Hamptons in Long Island, New York. To include a little of the MV style in your day here are our top 5 tips; 1) Choose ceremony & reception locations with pedigree. Does your ceremony locale have historical meaning to your family or your relationship. Nobody says grand is better but well chosen and original locations are by far the most memorable. 2) Think water, water, water - a fountain, pond, harbour, beach, lighthouse, boat or waterfall connects the soul.

3) What about a beach bonfire, a clambake by the ocean ? 4) Colours - Navy, White and Red are preferred... and lastly 5) Personalize your day. Organise a special welcome kit for guests if you are having a destination wedding or an interactive favor which allows the guest to be involved in its creation is a nice icebreaker for guests who may be meeting for the first time. Choose centrepieces, decorations, invitations, menus and music that is unique to you and your fiancee's style. And my favourite.....for an added MV touch consider monogrammed beach towels for a boating or beach wedding. We hope you have enjoyed the post on Cape Cod. We are off to Cairns for a "SugarLove" Palm Cove wedding tomorrow and to Brisbane for a "White" video wedding this weekend. Bring on the sunshine! Leigh x

August 14, 2010

It has been a little longer than expected but we have finally chosen ten of our new favourite weddings to update the SugarLove website along with an extensive update to our "favourites" section featuring hundreds of classically elegant SugarLove moments.

Our press pages are overflowing with coverage over the past 2 years (thank you a million times over to all the wonderful magazines who regularly publish our work). We are also so excited to see so many covers on there & thrilled to be receiving another one in a few weeks!

Check out our new Destinations section which has SugarLove images from all over the world providing you with inspiration for your own Destination Wedding perhaps? Our gallery will soon be updated with new client weddings from Marthas Vineyard (US), Marrakech (Northern Africa) and Lake Como & Florence (Italy) as well!!

We hope you enjoy a visit to the SugarLove Site and leave us your comments on the blog. The best comment receives a complimentary 8x10" Signature Style Silver Frame valued at $75. (Entries close 1st Sept 2010)

August 8, 2010

It's hard to believe that it was 3 years ago we opened our first little Northern Beaches showroom on Barrenjoey Road in Palm Beach. Due to the outstanding feedback from our clients to visit our new 2 storey Woollahra showroom and the growth of our "Destination Weddings" in 2009/2010 we will be closing the doors on 1st September. A bittersweet farewell but with very exciting new beginnings ahead we must bid our little shop adieu.

A few of our SugarLove family have already snapped up some treasured pieces of furniture from the showroom but if you are keen to own a little piece of SugarLove & White style here is what is still available. Email direct to leigh@sugarlovepictures.com if you would like to enquire on measurements or pricing. Pick Up Palm Beach Fri 13th/Sat 14th August OR post Monday 16th from Woollahra if required.

Carina Sherlock Chairs (Diamond Button Pattern/Linen) 2 available

Round Oak Table (110cm diameter/76cm high) 1 only available

Black Pendant Light Fitting (Cotton Love) 1 only available

HD Plasma TV (42inch) Model PDP42XS1 as pictured - 1 only available

Custom Upholstered Desk Chair (BW Ticking Fabric) - 1 only available

And lastly, 1 x Sisal Custom Rug by International Floor Coverings. Rug is in near perfect condition, presently cut to fit floor design but could easily be reworked into a rectangle or other shapes as required. If you are interested in anything please let us know this week...We cannot part with the rest of our inventory as seen in the images above - just too much love xx

August 6, 2010

So thrilled to open the new August issue of Bride to Be Magazine and see one of our recent weddings featured and also used as the opening piece to the Your Day pages. Whilst we prepare for our destination weddings month in September it was also nice to see some inspiration for our upcoming Marrakech wedding in their new cover image. The grecian inspired photo shoot looks like it could almost be straight out of the Sahara dont you think!

To see more of our Kelly & Matt feature see the layouts below & behind the scenes photography & video coverage from their big day on our websites.

Kelly & Matt's wedding took place in March 2010 on a perfect Autumn day on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. The couple used vintage urns to display flowers at the ceremony & reception instead of traditional vases.

Family heirloom pens were used on the day. Chloe perfume & Oscar de la Renta shoes look lush on seagrass matting at the bridal prep.

Kelly was beaming from the moment we arrived at the family home.

Kelly wore the most stunning silk taffeta, strapless, ivory Oscar de la Renta gown from Helen Rodrigues. "This was the first dress I tried on and I loved it" says Kelly.

A chalkboard points guests in the right direction, bottles of Moet to toast in the garden post ceremony....a special surprise from the Mother of the Bride.

The couple were married at Stella Maris College Chapel in Manly. Groom to be Matt awaits the arrival of his stunning bride & greets guests.

Rustic baskets were used to hold the order of service booklets and nearby powder blue hydrangeas lined the entrance to the chapel.

The bridesmaids wore sage green strapless knee length Vera Wang dresses with a bow at the back along with hair clips and peep toe shoes (all from Helen Rodrigues).

Kelly & Matt are so sweet together. Matt proposed on a weekend away to Pacific Palms whilst enjoying a swim in the sea. Suddenly his favourite place in the world "the ocean" became even more of a special place for both of them to enjoy.

The bride's flowers by Summers Floral were a mix of white, ivory & pastel long stemmed roses held together with an ivory ribbon & a family heirloom locket given to Kelly's Mum by her Dad before they were married.

The girls carried bouquets of pink David Austin roses wrapped in a natural mushroom coloured ribbon to match their shoes.

An intimate moment shared by Kelly & Matt as husband & wife.

The jubilant bride greets guests on the way down the aisle.

Follow Studio worked closely with the couple on their stationery & other design ideas such as this cute "Just Married" sign for the drinks table.

A floral archway was the perfect position for photos - gorgeous flowers again by Summers Florals (A nearby neighbour of ours in Woollahra) !!

The perfect Autumn day to celebrate outdoors with family & friends.

Musicians & brown paper flower cones enhanced the natural style.

Ready for a getaway in the bridal car, Kelly's hairpiece suited the natural style of her dress & veil perfectly on the day.

Our photography team chose nearby Clareville for the best lighting and private options for the couples photo shoot on the day.

Kelly & Matt share a moment together before toasting with their friends.

The pine trees and calm waters of Clareville pre sunset on the day.

Some cute hair details on the bridemaids complimented the overall look.

The use of a hanging cane chair in a nearby beach house provided a nice relaxed setting for a moment together.

We even had a local chicken joining in for the pics on the day. Not sure what it is with SugarLove and animals on shoots - we promise we dont go looking for them!!

The couple chose Barrenjoey House in Palm Beach for its character & interior styling. We have shot many weddings here over the years and love to capture all the gorgeous details on display throughout the restaurant.

Matt had the most beautiful speech on the evening. Make sure to visit our White Designs highlight video fromt their night to see more.

A stroll under the moonlight marked a perfect ending to the day.

Thank you to Kelly & Matt for chosing SugarLove & White to capture their day. It has truly been a pleasure dealing with you both and all of our team wish you the greatest of happiness in your future lives together xx